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Occupational Employment Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

19-4042 Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

Perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist. May collect samples of gases, soil, water, and other materials for testing.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
32,620 3.1 % $24.41 $50,760 1.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $13.96 $17.26 $22.38 $29.34 $38.80
Annual Wage (2) $29,040 $35,910 $46,540 $61,030 $80,710

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 8,190 0.55 $22.66 $47,130
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 6,570 0.12 $26.48 $55,070
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 6,430 0.43 $22.88 $47,600
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 1,880 0.09 $23.25 $48,350
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,660 0.05 $25.30 $52,630

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 1,110 0.70 $34.19 $71,110
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 8,190 0.55 $22.66 $47,130
Waste Treatment and Disposal 500 0.49 $24.93 $51,850
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 6,430 0.43 $22.88 $47,600
Social Advocacy Organizations 660 0.30 $20.56 $42,760

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 70 0.06 $36.90 $76,750
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 380 0.10 $35.59 $74,030
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 1,110 0.70 $34.19 $71,110
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 80 0.03 $31.26 $65,010
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 30 0.01 $30.74 $63,940

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,830 0.34 1.51 $27.29 $56,760
Texas 3,060 0.25 1.11 $23.27 $48,400
New York 2,220 0.23 1.05 $25.24 $52,490
Ohio 1,470 0.27 1.22 $21.82 $45,390
Pennsylvania 1,390 0.24 1.06 $20.57 $42,790




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 210 0.66 2.95 $27.27 $56,730
New Mexico 520 0.63 2.82 $23.13 $48,110
Montana 250 0.53 2.38 $19.86 $41,300
West Virginia 360 0.51 2.29 $20.37 $42,370
Wyoming 130 0.46 2.09 $21.72 $45,180




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 1,310 0.40 1.78 $33.36 $69,390
Rhode Island 60 0.13 0.58 $33.08 $68,810
Oregon 280 0.15 0.66 $29.14 $60,610
Nevada (8) (8) (8) $28.23 $58,730
District of Columbia 120 0.16 0.72 $28.13 $58,510





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,890 0.20 0.88 $26.57 $55,260
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,660 0.27 1.19 $28.49 $59,250
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,060 0.43 1.94 $27.89 $58,010
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,060 0.35 1.57 $24.25 $50,440
Kennewick-Richland, WA 800 6.77 30.47 $37.40 $77,800
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 790 0.22 0.98 $23.97 $49,850
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 720 0.48 2.16 $27.00 $56,150
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 660 0.24 1.08 $22.64 $47,090
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 630 0.13 0.61 $21.83 $45,400
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 580 0.57 2.56 $24.84 $51,670




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kennewick-Richland, WA 800 6.77 30.47 $37.40 $77,800
Idaho Falls, ID 160 2.35 10.59 $34.28 $71,310
Flagstaff, AZ 100 1.62 7.30 $22.54 $46,880
Syracuse, NY 240 0.79 3.57 $17.86 $37,140
Morgantown, WV 50 0.74 3.33 $23.29 $48,450
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 100 0.74 3.34 $20.44 $42,510
Dover, DE 50 0.70 3.15 $16.52 $34,350
Canton-Massillon, OH 100 0.62 2.79 $20.55 $42,750
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 190 0.59 2.64 $22.17 $46,120
Albuquerque, NM 230 0.58 2.59 $25.07 $52,140




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kennewick-Richland, WA 800 6.77 30.47 $37.40 $77,800
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 40 0.22 0.99 $34.34 $71,420
Idaho Falls, ID 160 2.35 10.59 $34.28 $71,310
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 390 0.34 1.55 $33.36 $69,380
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 80 0.14 0.62 $33.18 $69,010
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 50 0.49 2.23 $31.74 $66,020
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 100 0.19 0.86 $29.55 $61,470
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 220 0.18 0.81 $29.13 $60,600
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,660 0.27 1.19 $28.49 $59,250
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (8) (8) (8) $28.19 $58,640

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 170 1.19 5.34 $18.13 $37,710
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 140 0.85 3.81 $23.15 $48,150
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.23 5.52 $28.20 $58,650
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 100 0.40 1.79 $19.78 $41,140
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 100 1.24 5.58 $19.81 $41,210

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 100 1.24 5.58 $19.81 $41,210
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.23 5.52 $28.20 $58,650
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 170 1.19 5.34 $18.13 $37,710
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 70 1.17 5.27 $31.26 $65,020
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 80 0.94 4.23 $20.63 $42,910

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 70 1.17 5.27 $31.26 $65,020
Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.70 3.17 $29.75 $61,880
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.18 0.83 $29.57 $61,500
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.23 5.52 $28.20 $58,650
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 30 0.25 1.14 $27.79 $57,810

About May 2019 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.